Knock-down type detachable leg bracket



Nov. 15, 1955 .1. HlRscH 2,723,892

KNOCKDOWN TYPE DETACHABLE LEG BRACKET Filed Feb. 26, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. l5, 1955 J. HIRSCH KNOCK-DOWN TYPE DETACHABLE LEG BRACKET Filed Feb. 26. 1954 Fly. 6

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 t. it

United States Patent KNOCK-DOWN TYPE DETACHABLE LEG BRACKET Joseph Hirsch, New Rochelle, N. Y. Application February 26, 1954, Serial No. 412,806-

s Claims.. (C1. 311-112) This invention relates generally to brackets by means of which legs are connected to fiat surfaces such as tables, chairs, and the like; and more particularly to such which are especially adapted to secure the leg in connection to such surfaces `in both the set-up and knock-down condition.

Most frequently, furniture having legs is shipped in a set-up condition. The legs being relatively fragile projections are subject to the likelihood of damage in transit. In order to protect them, heavy cartons with padding of corrugated cardboard are used, and even more expensively, wooden crates are employed. The legs when shipped set-up are held in position by screws or dowels and glue. After a period of use, these joints loosen. Because when shipped set-up, the packing and shipping costs are higher, there is a need for an improved construction.

It is therefore among the objects of the present invention t provide a novel and useful improvement which will obviate the foregoing disadvantages.

Another object herein is to provide construction of the class described which can be used with furniture or similar structure having legs which, when set up, oier a wide range of angles with respect to the horizontal or similar surface with which they are used, and bcan be used with any object that has legs.

Another object ofthe present invention is to provide furniture construction having Vmeans for connecting legs to a platformrwhereby `the legs may be folded flat against the underside ofthe platform laterally displaced with respect to each other so that they do not take up any more space than the thickness of a single leg. When the legs are folded flat, they lie side by side instead of overlapping.

A still further object herein is to provide structure of the class described which will afford lower production costs, lower packing costs, and lower shipping costs, while making a sturdy and long-lasting connection between the leg and platform elements when the article is set up.

A feature of the present construction is that it is easy to use, requiring no special skill or tools. An ordinary screw driver is all that is necessary and the same screw is used to secure the leg element in the knock-down and set-up positions.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages will more fully appear in the progress of this disclosure and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, similar reference characters designate v 4in exploded position. t t

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevational view as seen from the right of the upper portion of Figure 1.

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Figure 4 is a view in perspective of a portion of the table shown in Figure 1 with a leg in a set-up position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view as seen from the plane 5-5 on Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view corresponding generally to Figure 1, but showing a second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of table element and leg element interconnected in set-up position.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing theparts of Figure 7 in exploded position.' l

Figure 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view as seen from plane 9 9 on Figure 8. .y

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated by reference character 10 comprises broadly a platform bracket element 12 and a leg bracket element 14. The platform bracket element may be connected to any suitable generally horizontal platform, such as the table top 16 shown, or other table tops, base elements of cabinets, chair seat elements, shelves, radio cabinets, or the like (not shown). Often, the table top 16 is of suicient thickness to form a suitable anchorage for the platform bracket element means 18 which may well take the form of ordinary Wood screws. When the table top element is thin, a cleat or similar transverse support'20 may be utilized.

The leg bracket element is secured in a suitable manner to the upper end 22 of a leg 24, for example, by the means 26, which may take the form of ordinary wood screws.

Turning to Figure 2, the platform bracket element 12 may include a body 28 having a first edge 30, a second edge 32, a locking liange 34 with a notch 36, and opposed third and fourth edges 38 and 40.' The body 28 is provided with a plurality of screw receiving holes 42 (for screws 43), and with a threaded hole 44. The platform bracket element 12 is preferably formed by blanking and bending the same from suitable sheet stock, as for example sheet steel.

The leg bracket element 14 has a body 46 including a rst edge 50, a second edge 52, a third edge 58 and a fourth edge 60. Extending at substantially a right angle from the edge 60 is the securing ange 54 which is provided with a knock-down position threadless hole 64. The body 46 has a plurality of screw receiving holes 62 (for screws 63). The body adjacent theedge 50 has a set-up position threadless hole 65. The upper end 22 of the leg 24 has a width which is substantially less than the distance between the first and second edges 50 and 52, so that when the upper end 22 is connected to the relatively undersurface (Figure 4), the leg surface 70 is spaced a substantial distance from the edge 50, While the leg surface 72 is spaced a substantial distance from the edge 52. The space provided inwardly of the edge 50 leaves the threadless hole 65 accessible, while the space inwardly 0f the edge 52 permits said edge to project a substantial distance so that it may be seated under the locking ange 34 when the leg is in a set-up position (Figures .4 and 5).

In the set-up position, the parts are maintained in interengagement by a screw 75 which passes through the threadless hole 65 and engages the threaded hole 44. The inner end of the screw 75 is preferably pointed as at 76 so that it may be assured that all ofthe threads on the threaded hole 44 are engaged by threads of the screw 75 and any inward or excess projection of the screw 75 may be accommodated by a compression of the platform or tabletop 16. If desired, a longer type screw 75 may be used .and the undersurface-of they table-top may be counterbored (see-Figure 9). v u

In the knock-downposition,the securing llange 54 'has the outer surface 77 thereof (Figure 2) in engagement with the undersurface 78 of the platform bracket element 12. This position is shown in Figures 1 and 3 where it will be seen that one end of the securing flange is engaged between the locking flange 34 and said undersurface 78, while the other end of the securing flange 54 is Vheld in place by the same screw 7S which passes through the threadless hole 64 and engages the threaded hole 44.

The edge 52 enters the notch 36 which is of sufficient width so that between the edges 79 and 80` thereof the securing flange 54 may have substantial movement as the leg 24 is pivoted about the screw 75 asa center.

The purpose of this pivoting is to allow the legs which are normally juxtaposed on an article of furniture when knocked down to be shifted with respect to each other so that they may have a side-by-side relationship such as shown in Figure 1. Here, for the purpose of avoiding repetition, the second leg is given certain of the prior used reference characters with the addition of the suix af Turning now to the second embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 6 to 9, inclusive, for the purpose of avoiding unnecessary repetition, certain of the parts corresponding to those of the first embodiment are given the same reference characters with the prefix 1. l The principal difference between the first and second embodiments is that in the second embodiment, the leg 124 is adapted to be disposed at an angle with respect to the table-top 116 when the article of furniture is in a set-up condition.

As best seen in Figures 8 and 9, the securing flange 154 is angularly disposed with respect to the body 146. Because of this angular arrangement, when the leg 124 is in the knock-down position thereof, the same will lie close and parallel to the undersurface of the table-top 116. Here again, the notch 136 coacts with the edge 152 to allow the leg 124 to pivot about the screw 175. As seen in Figure 8, after the legs, which are lying in side-by-side relationship are in proper position, a lock washer which surrounds the screw 175 will assist in preventing undesirable movement of said legs during shipment in knock-down position.

It may thus be seen that I have provided a novel and luseful furniture construction in which the leg elements and platform elements may be easily and quickly provided with corresponding bracket elements, and which may easily and quickly be arranged in knock-down or set-up position. In either position the parts are securely connected.

An incident advantage of the present construction lies in the fact that under certain circumstances the legs may be supported independently of the platform or similar elements and may also be supplied in sets of varying sizes so that the dealer may offer the particular article of furniture at different heights, the same top, for example, being utilized to form a low coffee table, a medium height coffee table, a regular height table, and so on.

By virtue of the saving obtained in the elimination of fitted joints and gluing, the present construction may be accomplished at little or no increase in cost over earlier less satisfactory constructions.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art to which the present invention relates.

I claim:

1. Knock-down type furniture leg and platform construction comprising: a platform bracket element having a substantially flat body with a locking flange projecting' therefrom; a leg bracket element having a substantially flat body and an angularly disposed securing flange; said leg bracket element in the knock-down position thereof having the secured flange juxtaposing the body of the platform bracket element and in the set-up position thereof having the body of said leg bracket element juxtaposing laid body of said platform bracket element.

2. Structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the platform bracket element has a threaded orifice and the leg bracket element has a first opening in the body thereof and a second opening in the securing flange; and means freely passable through said opening in the leg bracket element and detachably engageable with said platform bracket element.

3. Knock-down type furniture leg and platform construction comprising: a platform bracket element having a body and a locking flange with a notch therein; and a leg bracket element having a body and a securing flange, and means to detachably interconnect said securing flange body and said leg bracket body to said platform bracket element in a plurality of positions; in a knock-down position said securing flange being engaged by said locking flange and a portion of the body of the leg bracket element being disposed within said notch; and in the set-up position thereof, the body of the leg bracket element being engaged by said locking flange.

4. Furniture construction comprising: a platform element; a leg element; a platform bracket element secured to said platform element; a leg bracket element secured to said leg element; said platform bracket element having a body and a locking flange; said leg bracket element having a body and a securing flange, and means in the set-up position of said parts to detachably secure the body of the leg bracket element to the body of the platform bracket element, and in the knock-down position thereof to detachably secure the securing flange to the body of the platform bracket element.

5. Furniture construction comprising: a platform element; a leg element; a platform bracket element secured to said platform element; a leg bracket element secured to said leg element; said platform bracket element having a body and a locking flange; said leg bracket element having a body and a securing flange, and means in the set-up position of said parts to detachably secure the body of the leg bracket element to the body of the platform bracket element, and in the knock-down position thereof to detachably secure the securing flange to the body of the platform bracket element; and means providing limited pivotal movement of said leg element with respect to said vplatform element when the leg element is in the knock-down position thereof.

6. Structure as claimed in claim 4 in which the securing flange forms an angle with respect to the body of the leg bracket element.

7. Structure as claimed in claim 4 in which the securing flange forms an acute angle with respect to the body of the leg bracket element.

8. Furniture construction comprising: a platform element; a pair of leg elements spaced from each other and detachably connectable to said platform element; means fixedly securing said leg elements in the set-up position thereof to said platform element; and means holding said leg elements to said platform element, in the knock-down position of said leg elements; and affording limited movement of said leg elements in a plane spaced from and parallel to the platform element; whereby said leg elements in the knock-down position thereof may have a lateral side-by-side arrangement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 522,221 Lucashevski July 3, 1894 772,462 Gruender Oct. 18, 1904 1,109,765 Lampert Sept. 8, 1914 1,567,958 Kositzky Dec. 29, 1925 1,881,491 Goetz Oct. 11, 1932 2,606,802 Inpyn Aug. 12, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 625,513 Great Britain Aug. 5, 1947 

